Friday, March 04, 2005

289: Induction of photosensitivity by heterologous expression of melanopsin

We conclude that mammalian melanopsin is a functional sensory photopigment, that it is the photopigment of ganglion-cell photoreceptors, and that these photoreceptors may use an invertebrate-like phototransduction cascade.

The photopigment controlling circadian rhythms are similar to the pigments used by invertebrates. Common descent.